A bit of a surprise there when the intensity drops back suddenly at what seems like it's going to be a climax.

Adoration

Variations On Reverse Entropy - Roger Zare

We Choose to Go to the Moon-Roger Zare

Ghost Town Triptych (Flex Strings Version)-Roger Zare

Performed by Eighth Blackbird and the U.S. Navy Band, Capt. Kenneth Collins, conductor.

Full performance video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHMabYCLKrI

Eighth Blackbird + US Navy Band, Kenneth Collins, conductor

Vital Sines

ASIMO-Roger Zare

Zare - Breathless

This is a piece that I wrote while pursuing my Master's degree at the University of Illinois in 2021. It is a piece about domestic abuse, including the process of gaslighting and various assaults that may occur.

... over and over and...

Mare Tranquillitatis translates to "Sea of Tranquility," and is the famous location on the moon where Apollo 11 landed and the first man set foot on the lunar surface. The music seeks to capture a dichotomy of emotions - tranquil beauty and restless isolation. All of the musical material is derived from only two ideas - the descending fourth heard in the opening bar, and the flowing and surging melody heard not long after. These two ideas trade back and forth within a contrapuntal texture, swelling and flowing as they interact with each other. The music recedes into a quieter realm and a quartet of soloists emerges, juxtaposing the lush full textures with a delicate and intimate passage. 

After many peaks and dips, the emotional arc of the piece culminates in the long-awaited return of the second theme. It grows and transforms into a sweeping gesture, bringing closure to the pent-up tension from before. What follows is an epilogue, and the piece ends with one final tender moment with the solo oboe.

The original string version of this work was commissioned by Jeffrey Bishop and the Shawnee MIssion Northwest High School Orchestra and premiered in 2008, and is published by FJH Music.  The wind ensemble version was commissioned by a consortium of 29 wind ensembles around the United States and premiered throughout the 2012 and 2013 seasons. This recording was taken live by the Columbus State University Wind Ensemble, Jamie Nix conducting, on April 11, 2013.

Please visit http://www.rogerzare.com/mare_tranquillitatis.htm for more information.

Mare Tranquillitatis for wind ensemble

Miranda Schreiber's composition "Guitar Quartet No. 1" received its world premiere by Miguel Lumbao, Jackson Miller, Matthew Kwon, and Angelo Favis on October 26th, 2020 at Illinois State University.

Program Notes:

Most of the pieces that I compose are absolute; they exist just for the beauty of music itself and the natural emotions that it brings to each individual. However, I sometimes develop a programmatic interpretation of my own compositions as I gain a deeper understanding of them. Guitar Quartet No. 1 is one of these pieces.


I believe that music is like a person. A melody is like a person's voice - it has words and intonation, as well as a unique timbre in every person or instrument. Music's body language is expressed through rhythm, while music's emotions and facial expressions are predominantly expressed through the harmony. All of this is what makes music so humanistic.


The chill groove at the beginning of the piece represents our daily lives, as we often let our bodies go through the usual routine of everyday life. The main theme is presented shortly thereafter, representing our voice. The canon takes this voice and envelops us in it, making us feel lost in our own thoughts. Our inner thoughts are interrupted when a new texture arrives with harmonic development, making us take the time to meditate or pray. We take this moment to rest and reflect on life. It is towards the end of the piece that we celebrate the realization that there is something greater than ourselves which allows us to live life as intended.

Guitar Quartet No. 1

Ghost Town Triptych-Full Suite: Roger Zare

Music by composer Roger Zare. Check out more by visiting http://www.rogerzare.com

Mare Tranquillitatis for wind ensemble

Roger Zare

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